Recreation and Sports  

Area Lakes

Greer Commission of Public Works own two lakes in Greer, each with their own recreational and fishing areas.  CPW has also worked very hard with South Carolina Department of Natural Resources over the years to redefine Lake Robinson to create an environment designed for and to attract wildlife.  More information can be found here: http://www.greercpw.com/?page_id=733

Lake Robinson is an 800 acre lake that offers a boat ramp, picnic tables and grills, a club house with deck and restroom facilities, a fishing pier and the J. Verne Smith Recreational Area.

Lake Cunningham is a 376 acre lake has a fishing pier, boat ramps and a park/recreational area.

City, County, State, and National Parks 

City of Greer Parks and Recreation Department
http://www.cityofgreer.org/departments/parks_and_recreation.php

Greer Parks and Recreation is committed to fulfilling its mission of providing quality recreational experiences while administering the values of community image, human development, preservation of environmental resources, health and wellness, economic development and cultural unity.

They offer a variety of passive and active recreational programs to improve the community's quality of life and to promote and emphasize a healthy lifestyle and personal growth.  The City of Greer manages 17 facilities for its citizens, including: 

Greer City Park is a 12-acre park located adjacent to Greer City Hall and offers numerous recreational and cultural opportunities in Historic Greer Station.  Fountains, a play center, walking trails, an amphitheater, a pond, a picnic shelter and events from movies to a farmers market are just a small part of what Greer City Park has to offer.  The park has quickly become a favorite of locals and visitors alike.

Century Park is the home of Kid’s Planet, the Disc Golf Course and the City of Greer's baseball and softball complex.  The complex contains three diamonds, a concessions stand, two bathroom facilities, and numerous picnic shelters. The park is available to rent by the general public.

Kids Planet is a wonderful recreation spot for all ages.  It has two playstructures surrounded by wooden picnic areas, pavillions, and a paved walking track.  Kids Planet also has an accessible play area.  Every apparatus in this playground is 100 percent accessible by children and adults in wheelchairs, and the equipment allows children and adults of all abilities to play side-by-side.   Kids Planet was built through a huge outpouring of love and by the community of Greer for the children of Greer and the Upstate.

The Disc Golf Course at Century Park is an 18 hole shaded course outlining Kids Planet and the Century Park baseball fields. The City of Greer Disc Golf Course is home to a very popular annual Ironman Tournament.

Tryon Park and Rec Center is the central location for the Greer Cultural Arts and Tennis Academy offices. The park features six lighted tennis courts (George Crossland Courts) and a fellowship hall. The Tryon Recreation Center is home not only to a wonderful tennis facility, but also houses many recreation programs including Cultural Arts rehearsals and performances.

More information on Greer’s Parks and Recreation department and the facilities they manage can be found here: http://www.cityofgreer.org/departments/facilities.php

Greenville County Parks and Recreation Department:

http://greenvillerec.com/
Greenville County Parks and Recreation Department manages over 51 parks and facilities throughout Greenville County including 7 community centers, 3 waterparks, ice rink, inline rink, a camp &  retreat center, and a 10 mile rail-trail greenway.  Below are just a few of the recreational opportunities presented by the GCRD:

Riverbend Equestrian Center is located on 74 acres of beautiful country in northern Greenville County and provides a variety of leisure time opportunities for all.
http://greenvillerec.com/parks/facilities-2/riverbend/

The Pavilion Indoor Recreation Complex ( Greenville) is a year-round facility that features a full-size ice skating rink, competition size inline rink, 4 indoor tennis courts, outdoor tennis courts, soccer and ball fields, a game room, concessions, program and meeting rooms as well as a party area. 
http://greenvillerec.com/pavilion-2/

Westside Aquatics Center

One of SC’s largest public indoor pools featuring a 20 lane 25 yard x 50 meter pool, 5 lane 25 yard heated therapy pool, exercise room and a year-round menu of daily recreation swim and lap times, instruction, senior citizens aquarobics, scuba and kayaking.
http://greenvillerec.com/westside/

GHS Swamp Rabbit Trail

Greenville Hospital System Swamp Rabbit Tram Trail is a 13.55 (Northern end – across from North Greenville Medical campus of the Greenville Hospital  System to  the Southern end at Greenville Tech in the City of Greenville) mile walking/biking trail that runs along the Reedy River connecting Travelers Rest with the City of Greenville.

http://greenvillerec.com/parks/swamp-rabbit/

School District of Greenville County: 

Roper Mountain Science Center is a unique partnership of public ownership, corporate sponsorship, private support, and volunteers. The primary mission of the center is to foster enhanced learning and growth opportunities through educational excellence and high quality instructional programs for students, teachers, and the general public. Science enrichment programs are presented in an exciting and entertaining manner that makes learning fun.
http://www.ropermountain.org/

Spartanburg County Parks and Recreation Department:
Spartanburg Parks and Recreation’s mission is to practice responsible stewardship and to strive to enhance the lives of Spartanburg County citizens by providing diverse leisure opportunities that promote healthy lifestyle choices, a sense of community, and an appreciation of our natural resources.  Cleveland Park featured below is one of Spartanburg County’s flagship parks. http://www.spartanburgparks.org/

Cleveland Park ( Spartanburg) is a newly renovated park that offers the finest in leisure amenities, including Picnic Shelters, a lakeside Promenade and Amphitheater, an Island Gazebo, spacious playground, and a 6,500 square foot Event Center. 
http://www.spartanburgparks.org/parks/cleveland-park/index.php

South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism:
he South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism (SCPRT) is a cabinet agency assigned to operate and manage South Carolina’s 47 state parks, to market the state as a preferred vacation destination and to provide assistance to communities for parks, recreation and tourism development and promotion.  Below is just a small selection of natural resources that SCPRT protects and manages.

Paris Mountain State Park ( Greenville) is one of the oldest protected areas in the state is gaining popularity as a beautiful retreat in a metropolitan area. Formerly a watershed for the city of Greenville, the 1,275-acre Paris Mountain features large stands of old growth hardwood forests that canopy over hiking and biking trails, a family campground, picnic areas and Camp Buckhorn, a group-camp complex.
http://www.southcarolinaparks.com/park-finder/state-park/722.aspx

Croft State Natural Area ( Spartanburg) is a big park with lots to do. A green retreat in the heart of fast-growing Spartanburg County, the park offers more than 17 miles of biking and hiking trails, a playground, picnicking and camping, as well as fishing and boating in two lakes, including 165-acre Lake Craig. Croft also is known around the region for its equestrian facilities. The park regularly hosts shows in its arena and boasts more than 20 miles of equestrian facilities and 51 stalls. The diverse park was once an Army training base and covers beautiful, rolling, wooded terrain that also provides habitat for a wide variety of flora and fauna just five miles from bustling downtown Spartanburg.
http://www.southcarolinaparks.com/park-finder/state-park/1443.aspx

Jones Gap State Park ( Greenville) Wild trout, including the rare, native brookie. Several thousand different plant and animal species. The unforgettable peace and repose of a deep mountain cove. It’s all at Jones Gap State Park.
Jones Gap highlights include the Middle Saluda River, the state’s first designated scenic river. Besides trout fishing, the river serves as a living lab for the park’s busy learning center, providing hands-on ecology lessons for young and old alike.
The park also offers trailside camping and serves as an access point to the 76-mile Foothills Trail.
http://www.southcarolinaparks.com/park-finder/state-park/962.aspx

Caesars Head State Park ( Greenville) is 3,266 feet above sea level, Caesars Head provides a panoramic view of nearby valleys, Table Rock, Pinnacle Mountain and other distant peaks of the Blue Ridge Mountain Chain. Raven Cliff Falls, situated along one of the park's many hiking trails, is one of the highest waterfalls in the eastern United States.
http://www.southcarolinaparks.com/park-finder/state-park/1648.aspx

United States Park Service: 

Cowpens National Battlefield ( Spartanburg) commemorates a decisive battle that helped turn the tide of war in the Southern Campaign of the American Revolution. On this field on January 17, 1781, Daniel Morgan led his army of tough Continentals, militia and cavalry to a brilliant victory over Banastre Tarleton's force of British regulars.
http://www.nps.gov/cowp/  

Cherokee Foothills Scenic Highway is SC Scenic Highway 11 that runs just north of Greer through the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The Cherokee Foothills Scenic Highway has it all! This highway has history, culture, recreational opportunities, and scenery, all of which are incomparable. However, on SC 11, everything comes back to the natural features. These features are exceptional and were the choice of the Cherokee Indians, who called this area the "Great Blue Hills of God." They were also the main attraction for early settlers at the time of the Revolution. These natural features include miles of parkland trails, unique mountains, and wonderful flora and fauna.
http://www.byways.org/travel/byway.html?CX_BYWAY=2161&CX_STATE=SC 

Sports Teams

Local Area ( Greenville)

Baseball:

The Greenville Drive – Greenville’s minor league baseball team.  The Drive are a class A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox and a member of the South Atlantic League.  The team plays in newly constructed Fluor Field located in the West End of downtown Greenville.  Flour Field was recently named “Ballpark of the Year” by baseballparks.com.

http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/index.jsp?sid=t428

Hockey:

The Greenville Road Warriors – The Road Warriors are a member of the ECHL and play their home games at the Bi-Lo Center in downtown Greenville.  The team is affiliated with the New York Rangers in the NHL and the Connecticut Whale in the AHL.

http://greenvilleroadwarriors.com/

Cycling:

Greenville has hosted the US Pro Road Race and Time Trial Championship since 2006.  Greenville is also home to many professional cyclists including George Hincapie and Craig Lewis.

http://www.usacyclingchampionships.com/

College Sports 

Clemson University (Clemson):

Clemson University offers club, intramural, and varsity sports. Its nineteen varsity men's and women's sports teams compete in the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference of the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s Division I as the Clemson Tigers. lemson University is home to the NCAA Division I Tiger’s football team (ACC), Men’s and Women’s NCAA I Basketball teams, and Men’s NCAA I Baseball team.  

http://www.clemsontigers.com/

University of South Carolina ( Columbia):

The University of South Carolina offers club, intramural, and varsity sports. Its 19 varsity sports teams compete in the South Eastern Conference of the National Collegiate-Athletic Association’s Division I (except for men's soccer which competes in Conference USA) and are known as the Gamecocks.

Furman University ( Greenville):

Furman competes in NCAA Division I athletics and is one of the smallest NCAA Division I schools in the nation. Furman fields 17 men’s and women’s teams, as well as 16 club sports and many intramural teams. .  

Regional Area Professional Sports

NFL Football:

The Carolina Panthers play at the 73,367 seat Ericsson Stadium in Charlotte, NC approximately 1 ½ hours away from Greer, SC.
http://www.panthers.com/

The Atlanta Falcons play at the 71,149 seat Georgia Dome in Atlanta, GA approximately 2 ½ hours from Greer, SC.
http://www.atlantafalcons.com/ 

MLB Baseball:

The Atlanta Braves play at Turner Field in Atlanta, GA approximately 2 ½ hours from Greer, SC.
http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/

NBA Basketball:

The Atlanta Hawks play in Philips Arena in Atlanta, GA approximately 2 ½ hours from Greer, SC.
http://www.nba.com/hawks/ 

NHL Hockey:

The Atlanta Thrashers play in Philips Arena in Atlanta, GA approximately 2 ½ hours from Greer, SC.
http://www.atlantathrashers.com/

Zoos

Greenville Zoo

The Greenville Zoo is a 14-acre facility featuring hundreds of wildlife from all over the world including giraffe, monkeys, giant tortoises and elephants. Join us on a wildlife adventure through the zoo’s beautifully landscaped acres filled with up close and personal views of its residents! Through engaging programs, educational events and animal exhibit.
http://www.greenvillezoo.com/

Hollywild Animal Park (Inman)

Hollywild Animal Park is committed to providing an interactive and enlightening experience for our visitors, as we continually improve the lives of our animals in an enriching and respectful environment.

http://hollywild.com/

Golf Courses  

Golf Courses, 2002

  Greenville & Spartanburg Counties